UPDATE: Subaru Malaysia has launched the new generation Subaru Forester in Malaysia: All-new 2026 Subaru Forester launched in Malaysia: CBU, RM 221,500, NA 2.5L, EyeSight 4.0
Less than four months after its global debut in Japan, the all-new 2025 Subaru Forester has been spotted in Malaysia. The spyshots — taken at the Subaru Petaling Jaya outlet — show several units of the new Forester loaded on a vehicle carrier, suggesting that a Malaysian launch could be just around the corner.
Codenamed SL, the sixth-generation Forester will likely arrive in Malaysia as a fully-imported (CBU) model from Subaru’s Gunma plant in Japan. Subaru’s Thai assembly plant has ceased production and has officially closed.
What powertrain options could the Malaysian-spec 2025 Subaru Forester get?
Thus far, we don’t know what powertrain option will be offered in Malaysia, but Subaru offers the SL-generation Forester across two powertrain options in Japan, including:
- Turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder: 177 PS and 300 Nm
- Petrol-electric 2.5-litre hybrid four-cylinder: Engine: 160 PS, 209 Nm & Motor: 120 PS, 270 Nm
Crucially, the 2.5-litre e-Boxer hybrid Forester boasts a WLTC-rated fuel economy figure of 18.4 km/L – an impressive figure considering that the model is all-wheel drive (AWD). Subaru leveraged on their partnership with Toyota when developing this new hybrid system. Similar to Toyota hybrid models, the Forester e-Boxer gets an e-CVT transmission; regular Forester models soldier on with the tried-and-tested Lineartronic CVT.
Meanwhile, closer to this region, our neighbours over in Indonesia recently launched the 2025 Subaru Forester. The archipelago gets this C-segment SUV with a naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that does 180 PS and 241 Nm of torque.
The sole variant offered in Indonesia is priced at IDR 735.5 million (~RM 190k).
Standard equipment on the Indonesian-spec Forester include:
- Automatic LED headlights
- 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels wrapped in 225/55R18 tyres
- Roof rails
- Hands-free powered tailgate
- 10-way power-adjustable driver seat with lumbar support
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- QI wireless charger
- Power-sliding, tilt-adjustable sunroof
- Dual-function X-Mode
- SI-Drive
- Subaru EyeSight ADAS suite
- Nine airbags
How much will the 2025 Subaru Forester cost in Malaysia?
At the time of writing, Motor Image Malaysia, the official distributor of Subaru models in Malaysia has yet to reveal any details surrounding the new model.
That said, the 2025 Subaru Forester’s price in Indonesia could be indicative of what Malaysian buyers can expect.
For reference, the outgoing SK-generation Subaru Forester’s prices are listed below:
- Forester 2.0i-L EyeSight: RM 163,500
- Forester 2.0i-L GT Lite Edition: RM 169,500
- Forester 2.0i-S EyeSight: RM 176,800
- Forester GT Edition EyeSight: RM 188,800
When will the 2025 Subaru Forester launch in Malaysia?
We reckon that the launch could be happening real soon, as some Subaru dealers have begun taking orders for the brand-new model.